NameCensus.

UK surname

Hulmes

A locational surname derived from places named Hulme, referring to one who lived near a river meadow or water-meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 391 people recorded with the Hulmes surname, ranking it #8,090 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 373, ranked #12,515, down from #8,090 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Stoke-on-Trent and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hulmes is 481 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.6%.

1881 census count

391

Ranked #8,090

Modern count

373

2016, ranked #12,515

Peak year

1911

481 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hulmes had 391 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,090 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016, ranked #12,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 481 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hulmes surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hulmes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hulmes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hulmes over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 174 #11,590
1861 historical 295 #8,555
1881 historical 391 #8,090
1891 historical 420 #8,528
1901 historical 461 #8,554
1911 historical 481 #8,062
1997 modern 408 #10,844
1998 modern 443 #10,526
1999 modern 455 #10,364
2000 modern 429 #10,834
2001 modern 424 #10,740
2002 modern 422 #11,002
2003 modern 396 #11,346
2004 modern 394 #11,417
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 380 #11,666
2007 modern 381 #11,798
2008 modern 388 #11,745
2009 modern 401 #11,712
2010 modern 404 #11,902
2011 modern 406 #11,730
2012 modern 387 #12,015
2013 modern 397 #11,988
2014 modern 391 #12,214
2015 modern 383 #12,295
2016 modern 373 #12,515

Geography

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Where Hulmes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester and Glossop. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Stoke-on-Trent and Salford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Manchester Lancashire
2 Glossop Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 001 Tameside
2 Stoke-on-Trent 019 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Salford 020 Salford
4 Salford 024 Salford
5 Salford 002 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hulmes

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hulmes surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hulmes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hulmes, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hulmes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hulmes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hulmes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hulmes is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hulmes falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hulmes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hulmes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hulmes

The surname HULMES has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name Hulm, itself a variant of the more common name Holm, meaning "holly tree" or "holly wood." The earliest recorded mention of the surname dates back to 1193 in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, which lists a Hulmo de Bracebrige.

HULMES is closely related to the place name Hulme, found in several locations across England, such as Hulme in Greater Manchester, Hulme in Norfolk, and Hulme in Cheshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English words "holmr" or "holme," meaning "water meadow" or "river island." It is possible that some early bearers of the surname HULMES may have hailed from these areas or adopted the name as a locational identifier.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname HULMES was Sir Geoffrey Hulmes (1549-1637), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Tregony in Cornwall during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Richard Hulmes (1624-1689), an English landowner and Royalist who fought in the English Civil War and was later appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Cheshire.

In the 16th century, the HULMES surname appears in various records and manuscripts, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1543, where a John Hulmes is listed as a resident of Doxey. The surname also appears in the Wills and Inventories of Lancashire in 1584, mentioning a Thomas Hulmes of Manchester.

Other notable individuals with the surname HULMES include: 1. William Hulmes (1631-1691), an English clergyman and scholar who became the Archdeacon of Barnstaple in 1680. 2. Nathaniel Hulmes (1732-1810), an English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises. 3. Jonathan Hulmes (1767-1828), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and became a Lieutenant-Colonel. 4. Edward Hulmes (1848-1923), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Hulme Trust for the education of children in Greater Manchester.

Throughout its history, the HULMES surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Hulm, Hullam, Hullom, and Hulam, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hulmes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hulmes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 332 Hulmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 332 7.37x
Cheshire 28 3.34x
Yorkshire 9 0.24x
Derbyshire 8 1.35x
Shropshire 5 1.53x
Gloucestershire 2 0.27x
Middlesex 2 0.05x
Staffordshire 2 0.16x
Wigtownshire 1 1.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 33 Hulmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.10x.

Place Total Index
Hulme 33 35.10x
Salford 30 22.65x
Manchester 29 14.32x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 23.77x
Ardwick 15 36.94x
Bury 13 25.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 12.19x
Toxteth Park 12 7.87x
Middleton In Oldham 11 81.48x
Newton In Makerfield 11 79.77x
Oldham 11 7.57x
Droylsden 9 61.27x
Elton 9 57.84x
West Derby 9 6.83x
Glossop Dale 8 28.76x
Radcliffe 8 36.87x
Birkdale 7 61.46x
Huddersfield 7 12.78x
Liverpool 7 2.56x
Pilkington 7 40.94x
Prestwich 7 62.33x
Yeardsley Cum Whaley 7 424.24x
Bradford 6 28.46x
Gorton 6 14.17x
Hindley 6 31.25x
Hopwood 6 101.87x
North Meols 6 13.61x
Layton With Warbreck 5 30.27x
Parr 5 31.04x
Partington 5 877.19x
Runcorn 5 25.89x
Atherton 4 24.41x
Oswestry Town 4 38.10x
Withington 4 27.59x
Castleton 3 6.67x
Nantwich 3 30.83x
Whalley 3 45.73x
Cheltenham 2 3.48x
Church 2 31.45x
Eccleshall 2 41.15x
Everton 2 1.39x
Heap 2 8.38x
Hyde 2 8.09x
Langfield 2 30.40x
Little Bolton 2 3.45x
Monks Coppenhall 2 6.33x
Moss Side 2 8.44x
Willaston In Nantwich 2 77.52x
Bedford 1 10.62x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.43x
Chadderton 1 4.54x
Ellesmere 1 17.76x
Islington London 1 0.27x
Kearsley 1 10.56x
Lymm 1 16.42x
Newton 1 2.88x
Openshaw 1 4.74x
Peckforton 1 370.37x
Rainhill 1 34.72x
Rusholme 1 8.33x
St Pancras London 1 0.33x
Stranraer 1 21.69x
Walton On Hill 1 4.10x
Warrington 1 1.87x
Wigan 1 1.59x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hulmes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 33
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 10
Hannah 10
Margaret 10
Ann 9
Jane 9
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Martha 5
Annie 4
Charlotte 3
Nancy 3
Rachel 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Barbara 1
Betty 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Edna 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Florince 1
Frances 1
H.Rosa 1
Harriett 1
Jaine 1
Janet 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Maggie 1
May 1
Minne 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hulmes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 34
William 28
Joseph 12
George 10
James 10
Samuel 10
Thomas 9
Charles 7
Robert 7
Henry 6
Walter 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Frederick 3
Chas. 2
David 2
Fred 2
Philip 2
Thos. 2
Titus 2
Abraham 1
Abram 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Heddley 1
Herbert 1
Humphry 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jeophry 1
Jno. 1
Nathaniel 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hulmes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hulmes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 391 people were recorded with the Hulmes surname. That placed it at #8,090 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hulmes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016. That gives Hulmes a modern rank of #12,515.

What does the Hulmes surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places named Hulme, referring to one who lived near a river meadow or water-meadow.

What does the Hulmes map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hulmes bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.